ESB

1. Business Studies graduate Tom who has a visual impairment and was offered 6 months full time hours work experience in a clerical officer role based in the Mullingar office.

“Tom was very adaptable to learning new tasks, he has good communication skills and is extremely out-going. Once the necessary hardware and software were put in place he was very capable of working on his own initiative and was never afraid to ask for help. Tom soon became a very valuable team member and was offered the opportunity to apply for a full time vacancy in his area when it arose. The work experience played a part in his selection and he was successfully placed in a permanent role”

Accommodations needed --- In order to perform the duties of the role, magnification software was installed on his computer and a large monitor was needed.

2. Engineering honours graduate Mary was offered work experience in the ESB Head Office, Dublin providing mapping services to the property project team for 6 months.

“Mary was initially taken on for 6 months however this was extended to 9 months as she contributed significantly to a key project and without her efforts the team would have suffered delays. She played a pivotal role within the team”

Mary has a hearing impairment and the following accommodations were recommended:

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan
Sign Language Interpreter during Training sessions and Induction.
Location of desk facing outwards from the wall so she can see anyone approaching.
Written, concise instructions.
Require people to face her, speaking clearly, one at a time.
She likes to learn by practical demonstration with time to practice.
In meetings, it would be beneficial if someone sits beside her with a laptop taking notes for her to follow.

ESB use the service of an Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter for the first few days of training. This allows new staff to understand the requirements of the job far easier and quicker. Training can sometimes take a little longer than non-hearing impaired individuals depending on the complexity of the work, however once the training is successfully completed the output can be higher.

(The Irish Sign Language Interpreting Service now have Video Remote Interpreting Service available, called IRIS, which could be availed of for short meetings. It’s available three mornings a week at present. It involves accessing the interpreter over Skype using a webcam. The service must be booked in advance)

3. Bachelor of Commerce graduate James, was placed in a Generating Station working in a clerical administration position. This role requires document management, legal compliance and organisation.

“James is very capable and performed well in training, he completed all tasks assigned to him. Management found that he was quick to adapt to his environment and that he added real value to the team. As James has dyslexia, his co-workers were supportive by explaining tasks/instructions a number of times to him and providing practical demonstrations”

The supports needed for James having dyslexia was very minimal, they included;

Avoid giving work which involves reading others handwriting

Print out some material for reading rather than from the screen

Get somebody to proof read work for mistakes

Training where possible through practical demonstration

Provide step by step instructions

One task to be completed at a time

Make tasks as routine as possible

*Please note the Case Studies are accurate, however, the names and locations of the candidates have been changed.